Dust-pan.



110,735,565. PATBNTED AUG. 4,1903. I

W. P. MOGARIHY.

DUST PAN.

APPLIOATION FILED-SEPT. 23,-1-902.

KO MODEL UNITED STATES Patented August 4, 1903.

PATENT OFFIC DUST-PAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 735,565, dated August 4, 1903.

Application filed September 28, 1902. Serial No. 124,543. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LWILLIAM F. McOARTHY, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Holyoke, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dust-Pans, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention pertaining to dust-pans is to so adapt the dust-pan, by improved devices or appliances, that in use upon the floor or carpet it may remain in an immovable position so long as desired to en-' able a person to sweep dirt into it without stooping, as is usually necessary to hold it while it is being swept into.

. Another. object is to constitute both the dust-pan handle and the pan-retaining de vice from a single piece of properly-bent thin metal; and the invention consists in a dustpan having at its rear portion a retaining device therefor and also the dust-pan handle additional to and formed as a part of said retaining device, all substantially as herein,- after described in the accompanying drawings and set forth in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved dust-pan. Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectional View of the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the dust-pan, which constitutes the retainer and the handle.

A represents the dust-pan proper, provided at its centralbottom portion with a flat spring 3, rearwardly extended and bowed, as shown at b, the rear portion of the said bow I) being reversely curved and upturned, as indicated at d. As shown, the spring appliance constitutes a rear end support for the dust-pan, keeping the rear portion of thebase of the dust-pan proper elevated somewhat above the floor and insuring the contact of the dustpan at its forward edge upon the floor, so.

spring having the bearing-point at f, where it is reversely bowed, is practically immovable during all the natural operation of sweep- In practice it is found that theing into the dust-pan, and, moreover, in case the forward edge of the dust-pan, which may be more or less irregular or uneven, does not firmly or closely bear upon the floor the person may, bypressing with the foot against the upper and central portion of the bowed part b of the spring, exert such an action upon the device as to cause the forward edge of the dust-pan to adhere closely to the floor. It is, however, possible to cause the dust-pan to'be moved rearwardly, if desired, or to be moved in any direction by means of the foot, which may be brought into place from rear or side of the support B, and if it is desired to force the dust-pan rearwardly without stooping the person may with the foot press against the upturned extension d of the spring device B, as manifest.

The sheet metal or spring strip B comprises, in addition to the lower leaf or portion shown, an upper leaf the extremity of which constitutes the handle 0 for the dust-pan, this combined handle and retainer being formed by doubling the flat strip at its middle portion and superimposing the two layers together for portions of their length, as shown, which closely-disposed portions 9 are secured to thebottom of the dust-pan in any suitable manner, as by the rivetst' shown or by soldering, if preferred. spring-strip has an upward rearward bend j, which conforms to the rearward of the dust-pan, and its extremity is further rearwardly extended at any suitable inclination and suitably formed to constitute the handle, and as shown has a perforation m, for the suspension of the dust-pan by the handle.

\Vhen it is desired to tilt the pan to cause the sweepings to fall to the rear thereof, the person may with the foot press downwardly and outwardly on the upturned portion 61, rocking the pan on the bowed bearing portion F, and the handle on, which will engage the top of the foot, serves as a stop to prevent the pan turning over, the space between .the ends of the handle and the lever 01 being sufficient to allow the foot to project therethrough.

A dust-pan equipped substantially as described and shown may be produced nearly if not quite as cheap as these utensils have heretofore been made.

The upper leaf of the the rear of the pan and bowed downwardly to form a spring-support for contact with the floor and its rear extremity extended upwardly to form a foot-lever for tilting the pan, the extremities of the hand and foot members being separated.

Signed by me at Springfield, Massachusetts, in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM F. MCCARTHY.

Witnesses:

W. S. BELLoWs, ANNIE V. LEAHY. 

